A Socio-Economic Study of Kantha-Stitch Craftswomen of Santiniketan
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Journal of Textile and Clothing Science ISSN (Online): 2581-561X Available online at http://www.jtcsonline.com A SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDY OF KANTHA-STITCH CRAFTSWOMEN OF SANTINIKETAN Dibyendu Bikash Datta1 1Associate Professor, Department of Fashion Management Studies, National Institute of Fashion Technology (Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India), Plot-3B, Block-LA, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata - 700 098 A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history: Handicraft industries is an important role in the livelihood and Presented in National Workshop economy of rural people of the developing countries like India. and Seminar on Exploration of The kantha craft of Santiniketan is not an exception to this KANTHA EMBROIDERY for the Niche Market concept. Most of the Indian traditional industries are suffering from stagnation or decline and they survive even with the Keywords: onslaught in the era of globalization. Production organization Women, competition, hindrances, plays a vital role not only in economic activity but also in the challenges, artisans, embroidery, distribution of benefits of economic activity among the kantha. participants. The productivity of workers and earnings share vary substantially across different production organization, namely independent, intermediaries (under mahajan) and cooperative, and potentiality of growth varies across the trade. The present note seeks to analyse the above-noted issues with reference to kantha crafts of Santiniketan of West Bengal. The study reveals that production organization tied to mahajans is proliferating in the era of liberalization, privatization, and globalization of the economy while independent and cooperative organizations rather stagnate or even suffer decline. Rural artisans mostly belonging to the weaker section of the society are hardly capable of coming out of the clutches of mahajans who exploit them using their merchant capital. Productivity, earnings, and potential of growth of the rural artisans thus remain at a low level not substantially contributing to the rural development of the districts. This paper analyses the economics of kantha industry in relation to its production organization. 1. Introduction practiced by rural women as it originated as a household craft amongst rural families, with Kantha embroidery is an indigenous household techniques passed down from mother to daughter craft that continues to be a dominant textile art and and are popular dowry traditions. Kantha craft form due to its uniqueness for traditional and embroidery originated as a way of recycling old or folk designs, ability to tell a story and as a form of unused cotton sarees and dhotis, in order to create personal and artistic expression. A quilted household items such as quilts, comforters, shawls, embroidery based craft form predominantly home linen and more, using a simple running Special Issue ISSN (Online): 2581-561X Journal of Textile and Clothing Science stitch (Dhamija, 2004). It involves stitching of the dim and gradually this form of activity has been layers of old cloth together with needle and colored losing its identity. On the economic side of the thread. The original kantha is double-faced where kantha stitch, individual creativity is commercially the design appeared identical on either side of the colored up, kantha has now become identified with quilt (Naik, 1996). The craft is widely practiced in a new look and variety (Condra, 2013). As women the dwellings of millions of rural women residing of poorer classes did it, its production develops in districts of Hooghly, Purba Burdwan, Paschim economic wellbeing of womenfolk. This kind of Burdwan, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, South economic development affects the women, their 24 Parganas and Birbhum of West Bengal. families, and society. Thus, the economic development of society also helps to improve their The kantha artisans from Birbhum district of West socio-economic status. Bengal has gained immense popularity and are mostly practiced in the nearby villages In the work of kantha stitch, the entrepreneurs plan surrounding Bolpur, also simply known as the idea, motifs and select the color combination of BolpurSantiniketan, the cultural tourism this work. The intermediaries take this work from destination of West Bengal. Bolpur is the main entrepreneurs and distribute among the females of business center of it because of the presence of different villages. For this work, they get a Tagore's Santiniketan and is the most prominent commission from the entrepreneurs. The location for the purchase of kantha embroidery, entrepreneurs provide finished products to the particularly the kantha saree and nakshi kantha market for sale and earn a profit. This profit is quilt. Initially, this art was taught in Santiniketan. distributed among the intermediaries and the From there onwards, this art got recognition and female workers according to their skills. Thus, spread outside. Contemporary forms of kantha there is a chain system at work. craft find expression in sarees, stoles, apparel, home linen and accessories using cotton and silk as 2. Present status of the women artisans a base fabric. Handicrafts have their importance as not only a Rural women of all classes practice this art. An source of employment to craftsman but also entire piece of fabric may be covered with running perhaps much more due to their capacity to reflect kantha stitch and in different shapes – creating the culture of a civilization, hopes, and fear of a beautiful motifs of flowers, animals, birds, generation through artistic expressions. The geometrical shapes as well as themes from nimble fingers of the craftsman turn every article everyday activities. A finished piece of kantha they touched in to a thing of joy. In the field of embroidery has multiple lines of running stitch all kantha embroidery, the women artisans had over it and hence a slightly wrinkled appearance. reached the peak of quality and beauty in Motifs found in kantha display the identities of its producing articles of utility and of decorative wearers in terms of caste, village, and status. In values and have claimed International fame. One early kantha embroidery, motifs were influenced can learn this art just by imitating others and most by primitive art. With time, Hindu kantha of the artisans learned this art by themselves from embroiderers created motifs of gods, peacocks, their mother and grandmother. Many of them have tigers and auspicious colorful motifs. The Muslim undergone formal training provided by NIFT, population of West Bengal chiefly resides in Visva-Bharati University, other government, and Murshidabad district, which is the central location non-government organization. Most of the females for Muslim kantha embroidery that features are influenced by their neighborhoods. Some of geometric and floral designs. them travel and collect job work for more females in the village. A number of women acknowledge Kantha embroidery has been considered as that they have been able to overcome poverty and inextricable part of the life of West Bengal, India, girls can pursue education. Many of the women even when it was undivided and known only as artisans are maintaining their family from the Bengal and still maintains a strong cultural and earning of kantha craft as a source of income and social significance in Bengali society. It has become occupation. Young girls are very interested in a means of livelihood and yet remains a household learning and pursuing kantha stitching as a craft. The kantha of decorative types was a later livelihood. While the older women lack literacy, development (Das, 1992). However, changing taste and modernization has made this traditional art 48 Volume: 01 Issue: 03 |July-September 2018, www.jtcsonline.com Journal of Textile and Clothing Science ISSN (Online): 2581-561X many young girls and women are continuing their Handicrafts and women both the terms are having study and pursuing kantha as a livelihood. their individual identity and if women are producing the handicrafts then their identity 3. Literature review becomes more meaningful. In the ancient era of civilization, women were involved in specific Kantha evolved out of necessity to drape or protect works out of which handicrafts making is one against cold. Kantha on Sanskrit means rags. It can among them. That time it was not being considered rightly be called the recycling art. The precious as an occupation of the women. Indian women silks and muslins when became worn-out. Women were doing handicrafts only to fulfill their personal instead of throwing them away piled them in needs. In addition, some are continuing this layers and stitched. Another legend relates kantha handicraft making, as they love to do stitching and origin to Lord Buddha and his disciples. It is said embroidery. However, gradually it becomes a very that they used to cover themselves with the thrown eye-catching work for women. They could away rags patched and stitched together. The term visualize that their products are saleable in the nakshi kantha, popularly used in West Bengal, is market and they can earn some money in return. found even in medieval literature. The name That moment was a turning point in their life. nakshi kantha became particularly popular among literate people after the publication of dramatized On another side, the government was focused to Bengali verse narrative written by poet raise the status of women in rural areas. Women Jasīmauddīna entitled "Nakshi Kanthar Math (The empowerment has become a burning issue for Field of the Embroidered Quilt)" (Jasīmauddīna, national development. The government has 1929). The verse is considered a masterpiece in introduced many fields to improve the standard of Bengali language and has been translated into women. Such fields raise the educational level many different languages. Kantha was said to be a among rural women, provide them with minimum woman’s self-expression. The real kantha narrates health care facilities, make them self-reliant, and a story, the emotions and the life of the artist.